brought against him. Onoja retired from the army in 1998 as a Major General. In 2003 he was a board member of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. Onoja was a Governorship aspirant in the 2003 Benue State elections on the United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP) platform. He competed against incumbent David Mark in the People's Democratic Party (PDP) primaries to be candidate for Senator in Benue South in December 2006. In the bitter fight, Onoja went as far as signing an advertorial in a national newspaper that support former Benue governor George Akume. The contest was close, with Mark gaining 1,719 votes and Onoja 1,605. Although Mark did not gain the 2/3 majority required by the PDP, Onoja accepted the result. In April 2009, President Umaru Yar'Adua named Onoja as Chairman of the National Institute for Sports. In 2009, the Idekpa Community of Ohimini local government area in Benue State honored Onoja with the chieftaincy title of Ooyame K’Idekpa, or "Achiever Par Excellence". They also urged him to run for Senate in 2011. Bibliography See also List of Governors of Plateau State References Governors of Katsina State Governors of Plateau State Graduates of the Mons Officer Cadet School Nigerian generals 1948 births Living people Idoma people